A South Korean newspaper reported March 5 that the North Korean government is set to execute 33 individuals who had contact with a South Korean Baptist missionary arrested last year on charges he was trying to establish churches in the North. According to a source cited by South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper, the North Korean citizens, who allegedly converted to Christianity or were otherwise influenced by South Korean Baptist missionary Kim Jung-wook, ‚Äúwill be executed in a secret cell at the State Security Department on charges of attempting to overthrow the regime by receiving money to set up 500 underground churches.?‚ÄĚ

In late February the North Korean government displayed Kim, who admitted to attempting to set up underground churches in the North and apologized for committing ‚Äúanti-state‚ÄĚ crimes against North Korea. In his February 27 public appearance, the first since his arrest in October,...